Enjoy the fruits of a vegetable garden

A common musing I hear is, "I'd love a vegetable garden, but I just don't know how to do it." If that's you, this column is dedicated to you — the novice with the desire but not quite the knowledge to make your gardening dreams come true.

The first step is figuring out where to locate your plot. The site should get at least six hours of sunlight a day. Keep in mind that the closer we get to summer, the higher the sun is in the sky. A tree may not block light while the sun is low in the sky, but by summer it may block considerably more sun. For example, an area beneath my kitchen window receives quite a bit of sunlight in the winter but in summer, minimal sun.

You also want to locate your garden near a water source and not too far from the house. A garden is much more likely to be maintained if it's convenient. If the garden is near your children's swing set, for example, you'll be able to keep an eye on the kids while pulling weeds.

When planning a garden, it's easy to get carried away with visions of perfect corn stalks swaying in the breeze or tomato plants bursting with summer glory. But before you turn that first shovelful of dirt, remember that a small, well-tended garden will produce more than a large, unkempt one.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of preparing the soil. If the garden is going to be where there is now grass, you need to kill the grass. If you don't, the grass roots will take all that water and fertilizer meant for your seedlings, and create a nice, lush lawn in the middle of your vegetable bed.

Spray the area with Round-up or a similar weed killer. Then till or turn the soil and add organic matter such as manure, compost and topsoil. Let the bed sit a while until grass starts to re-sprout, then spray herbicide again. If you skimp on this step, you will regret it by midsummer, because you won't be able to keep the grass out of your garden.

The Upstate's last average frost date is April 15; most everything is planted after that date. The exception: cool-weather crops such as lettuce and broccoli. For specific planting dates, check with the Clemson extension service. They offer great booklets on gardening for this region for a nominal fee; information sheets can be downloaded from their Web site at hgic.clemson.edu/.

After everything is planted, I apply a six-month slow-release fertilizer. You may want to periodically add some Miracle Gro while watering.

To keep weeds down, wait until all seeds have germinated and then apply a pre-emergent herbicide such as Preen. You may need to make a second application come summer. Another option to keep down weeds is mulch. Since I like to till my garden every year, I use chopped leaves or pine needles, which can be tilled back into the soil. For even greater weed protection, spread a thick layer of newspaper before applying the mulch.

Make sure the garden gets at least one inch of water a week, a bit more when plants are setting fruit. It's best to do one deep watering a week to promote deep root growth.